Landman Consulting Limited

WILLEM PETRUS LANDMAN

Mobile: +852 97252444 +61 435039780 Email: willem.landman@outlook.com
Address: Flat 20C, 191 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong https://www.linkedin.com/in/willem-landman-393ab514

 

SKILL SET

• Assist agribusiness in making critical changes in order to improve efficiency and profitability.

• Supply technical support in holistic farm management to achieve cost effective and sustainable outcomes, reducing the risk of urbanisation for small and medium size agribusinesses, and to assist multinational companies to focus on a sustainable and improved environmental impact.

• Expertise in crop optimisation, design of processing factory, development of quality assurance system.

• Consultant of technical requirement and direction on food safety (HACCP), processing and manufacturing.

• Advocate of fresh-food processing technology to promote environmental sustainability.

• Technical support for tree crops and seasonal extension trough cultivation practices and cultivar development

 

EMPLOYMENT

 

TOP WEAL LIMITED, Hong Kong, 2018-present

(Distributor and pre-pack facility of perishable fruits, vegetables and sushi in Hong Kong)

 

• Reporting to GM & Operations manager of the group, serving as technical adviser for production and operations to optimise and improve productivity

• Commercial:

  • Working on optimising process flow and staff utilisation in order to improve productivity and reduce labour cost.

  • Assist in costing modelling to ensure positive margins and accurate measurement of labour and productivity costs.

  • Successfully designed and created a new production line, with in budget and project time line, for re-pack of perishable fruit and vegetables, resulting in increased productivity and reduced labour cost.

• Business Development:

  • Developing of new product lines that offer the sales team increased sales and margins

  • Bringing strategic business partners that can grow business and reduce cost.

• Technical procedures and reporting :

  • Writing of technical handling and quality assurance procedures and to get the pre-pack facility ready for certification.

  • Monitoring of pack line efficiencies to improve productivity

 

AQUA GREEN LIMITED, Hong Kong, 2018- present

(Producer and marketing agency of washed and pre-packed lettuce)

• Reporting to CEO & COO of the group, serving as head of technical support.

• Advising senior management on technical trends in fruit and vegetable processing.

• Ensuring Technical compliance to customer requirements and product development

• Acting Technical & Product Development Director

• Re-design and optimise current lettuce processing facility; new product packaging and development

• Building company technical documentation for safety, legality and HACCP certification

• Maintain all company safety documentation and writing and implementation of HACCP procedures and reporting.

• Handling all customer complaints and quality feedback as well as the implementation of corrective actions.

• Technical support to clients: Market Place, Taste, City Super, Maxim, Gate Gourmet, Olé

 

GOOD VIEW DEVELOPMENT GROUP LIMITED, Hong Kong

(Distributor and pre-pack facility of perishable fruits and vegetables to Hong Kong and Macau)

Group Production R&D and Quality Assurance Manager, 2016 to 2017

 

• Reporting to CEO & COO of the group, serving as head of Production, Fresh Cut, QA departments with team size of 120, responsible for overall group production, food safety and development of quality system

• Commercialisation :

  • Compiled standard costing model to ensure positive margin in a consistent and systematic manner.

  • Successfully designed and created a new production line for re-pack of perishable fruit and vegetables, resulting in increased productivity and reduced labour cost.

• Business Development :

  • Presented new products to customers/retailers to address current needs and explore potential markets.

  • Expanded new product range to offer fresh juice and fruit & vegetables fresh cut salads, allowing for increased revenue and minimized waste.

• Technical procedures and reporting :

  • Developed technical handling and quality assurance procedures to improve quality and ensure safety.

  • Training and enforcement of quality systems: Global Gap, HACCP and Fresh Care certification.

  • Embarked on a mentorship program to train staffs how to achieve higher quality and productivity.

 

SKYBURY COFFEE PTY LIMITED, Mareeba, Australia

(Producer of own brand coffee, papaya and banana to Woolworths, Coles and Aldi)
Plant Health Manager, 2012 to 2016

 

• Optimization of crop production :

  • Established systems that utilize organic waste as farm inputs and increase microbial biodiversity.

  • Created multi-cropping systems to improve soil quality, nutrient and irrigation utilization.

• Implementation of best farming practices :

  • Devised strategies and sustainable practices to improve environmental farm impacts, limiting nitrate and phosphate fertiliser use through recycling of irrigation water and fertiliser, and lowering overall fertilizer and pesticide usage, thus achieving sustainable and commercially viable farm management.

  • Working with government environmental agencies to secure grants for on-farm research.

 

BLUE SKIES PTY LIMITED, South Africa and Ghana

(International processor and supplier of fresh fruit salads and juices to South African and European retailers)

Marketing Manager, 2009 to 2010

 

• Serviced clients such as Woolworths, Shoprite Checkers, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s and Albert Heyn

• Launched new range of fruit flavoured water with high margin sales and growing sales volume.

• Launched freshly squeezed orange juice under own brand, being the first supplier in the market.

• Successfully negotiated new supplier contracts with customers to increase margin and volume growth.

 

COMPANHIA DO VANDUZI, South Africa and Mozambique

(Producer and pre-pack company growing and marketing baby vegetables to UK retailers)

Marketing Manager, 2006 to 2009

 

• Serviced clients such as Woolworths, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Morrisons and Asda

• Reporting to the board and general manager, implemented marketing strategies to grow the business :

  • Developed new packaging ideas and established direct supply to new customer Asda, representing 30% of business with highest margin. Also expanded customer base to Woolworths and Marks & Spencer.

  • Increased net profit margin by developing new strategic partnership with for freight and handling agents, thus lowering freight cost and increasing selling prices.

  • Sales volume of pre-pack vegetables increased from 6 tons to over 80 tons per week in 3 years.

 

FRUIT SALAD HEALTH PTY LIMITED, Johannesburg, South Africa

(Processor and supplier of fresh cut fruit salads to South African and UK retailers)

Procurement and Agronomy Manager, 2003 to 2006

 

• Serviced clients such as Woolworths, Sainsbury’s, Tesco

• Responsible for managing and developing grower relations and providing technical support :

  • Compiled technical training manuals to lead procurement in sourcing quality raw material.

  • Educating suppliers into the specific requirements needed for processing and optimal shelf-life.

• Optimised product quality and seasonal availability through procuring fruit from new production regions.

• Negotiated purchase prices of fresh fruits, in line with demand plan and costing model.

• Procured alternative supplier base to reduce the risk of supply shortages :

  • First person in South Africa who successfully imported pineapples from West Africa into South Africa.

  • Achieved positive profits margins through reduced raw material cost.

  • Drafted import pest risk assessments, and facilitated government-to-government bilateral agreements to allow the imports of perishable produce into South Africa.

 

SPRING VALLEY FOODS - Geest PLC, Johannesburg, South Africa

(Processor and supplier of fresh cut fruit salads to South African and UK retailers, listed in UK stock exchange)

Agronomist / Horticulturalist, 2000 to 2003

 

• Serviced clients such as Woolworths and Marks & Spencer

• Responsible for agricultural technical support to suppliers

• Compiled technical documents to train staffs on basic principles of fresh fruit physiology and handling, for betting understanding of how procedures and aspects like cold chain management impact on fruit quality.

• Conducted field trials to improve processing varieties and fresh cut salad shelf life and quality :

  • Manipulated mango inflorescence to grow mangoes out of season to ensure continuous supply.

  • Invented process to inhibit the effect of enzymatic browning in avocados and bananas to extend shelf life.

 

SOUTH AFRICAN MANGO GROWER’S ASSOCIATION, Tzaneen, South Africa and Rotterdam, Holland

(Producer-funded association representing mango growers in South Africa to set growing and exporting standards)

Extension Co-ordinator and Overseas Technical Officer, 1997 to 2000

 

• Technical support to mango farmers and quality feedback on fruit exported overseas :

  • Compiled an export manual to set guidelines on fruit packaging, logistics and temperature management.

  • Trained farmers in agricultural principals to improve product quality and reduced environmental impact.

  • Compiled technical literature for training on growing, handling, processing, safety and logistics.

 

 

PRIVATE CONSULTANCY

• Assist agribusiness in making critical changes in order to improve efficiency and profitability

• Expertise in crop optimisation, design of processing factory, development of quality assurance system.

• Consultant of technical requirement and direction on food safety (HACCP), processing and manufacturing.

• Advocate of fresh-food processing technology to promote environmental sustainability.

• Technical support for tree crops and seasonal extension and cultivar development

 

Vegpro Group, Kenya and Ghana, 2019

(Producer and marketing agency of washed and pre-packed fruit, vegetables, and flowers for the UK retail sector)

• Assessing all production and agricultural activities to point out potential improvements and identifying of new cultivars that can extend their current supply season.

• Investigating potential extension of current client base into Asia.

 

Natures Haven Pty Limited, Dimbulah, Australia, 2015 to 2016

(Producer of certified organic vegetables)

• Supplied technical support to improve farm operations and profitability.

• Facilitated application of government grants for on-farm applied research.

 

Northern Gulf National Resource Management, Cairns, Australia, 2016

(Government funded agency to support and educate farmers in their district)

• Evaluated and recommend farming practices to achieve commercial profitability whilst being environmentally sustainable.

 

Terrain National Resource Management, Great Barrier Reef Catchment Area, Australia, 2015

(Government funded agency to support and educate farmers in their region)

• Supplied technical support to farmers to reduce negative impact on the Great Barrier Reef.

• Steering committee member for the Reef Rescue Innovations Fund. Evaluated projects submitted for funding to improve agricultural systems to reduce nitrogen run-off to the Great Barrier Reef.

 

Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Tonga, 2014

(Government funded agency supporting social outreach programs in the Asian Pacific region)

• Evaluated government funded agricultural project on commercial viability and sustainability.

 

Selmac Pty Limited, Cairns, Australia, 2013 to 2016

(Sugar cane producer and harvesting company)

• Supplied technical support to improve nutrient utilisation and reduce nitrogen fertiliser wastage.

• Improved soil biodiversity and nutrient holding capacity. Improved yield and sugar quality.

 

 

EDUCATION & CERTIFICATION

 

University of Pretoria, South Africa

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, Class of 1994

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Honours, Class of 1995

Majors in Microbiology and Plant Pathology

 

Food Safety Operations QLD (FS Alliance), HACCP Certificate, Australia, 2015

 

The Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology, Member, Australia, 2013-2016

 

 

PUBLICATIONS & MEDIA

 

• W. P. Landman, I. van Heerden, J.M. Kotzé, N. Labuschagne & F.C. Wehner, 1997. Evaluation of Trichoderma harzianum, Bacillus megaterium, composted citrus waste and soil solarization on avocados with and without Phytophthora cinnamomi - preliminary results. South African Avocado Grower’s Association Yearbook 20. In press.

• W. P. Landman, N. Labuschagne, & J.M. Kotzé. Optimization of Biological control of Phytophthora root rot of Avocado. South African Avocado Research Symposium, Nelspruit, South Africa. March 1996. Paper.

• W. P. Landman, E. M. Lubbe, S. E. Caveney and F. C. Wehner. Characterization of Rhizoctonia on wheat in South Africa. 32nd Congress of the South African Society for Plant Pathology. January 1994. Poster.

• https://www.cairnspost.com.au/news/cairns/innovation-leads-to-cleaner-water-from-tableland-plantation/news-story/9626f59909f86da1254668440735e92f